How to pronounce bokeh
Say it like BOH-kuh. Bokeh has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bokeh. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOH
- kuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bokeh pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bokeh
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BOH-kuh.
What does bokeh mean?
- A subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of an image projected by a camera lens.
Where does bokeh come from?
The term has been used since at least 1996, with the spelling bokeh introduced by editor Mike Johnston in the March–April 1997 issue of Photo Techniques magazine, Johnston writing “it is properly pronounced with bo as in bone and ke as in K
Words that rhyme with bokeh
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bokeh.
Questions about saying bokeh
How do you pronounce bokeh?
Say BOH-kuh. The American pronunciation is /ˈboʊkə/. In British English it is /ˈbəʊkə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bokeh?
Bokeh has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOH). Broken into parts: BOH · kuh.
Is bokeh pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈbəʊkə/ (BOH-kuh).